What is the Sun Dance?

The Sun Dance is a ceremony observed by the Native Americans of modern-day Canada and the United States to awaken the earth, give thanks, offer up prayers, and sacrifice for the greater good. It was, and is, among the most important rituals of the Plains Indians.

What was the focus of the Sun Dance?

The focus of the Sun Dance was on celebrating the gifts of the Great Spirit, awakening the earth after winter, giving thanks for the gifts one had received, asking for visions that would benefit the whole community, and participating in the continuance and renewal of the created world.

Why was self-torture involved with the Sun Dance?

Some participants chose to engage in self-torture during the Sun Dance as a path toward shedding ignorance and being granted a vision by the spirits that would benefit the entire community. Self-torture was a form of self-sacrifice for the greater good.

Why and when was the Sun Dance outlawed? Is it still illegal?

The governments of the United States and Canada outlawed the Sun Dance in the 188's. The laws were repealed in the 1950s. Today, the Sun Dance is legally celebrated by Native Americans in Canada and the United States annually.

Sun Dance Timeline

Definition

The Sun Dance is a ritual ceremony observed by the Plains Indians of the regions of modern Canada and the United States to awaken the earth, renew the community, give thanks for the sun, and petition or give thanks for favors from the Great Spirit. The ceremony's focus is on gratitude and self-sacrifice for the greater good.

More about: Sun Dance

Timeline

1881 - 1883
Sun Dance is outlawed in the United States.
1882
Sun Dance is outlawed in Canada.
c. 1934 - c. 1958
Laws in Canada and the United States outlawing the Sun Dance are repealed; observance of the Sun Dance is again legal.
1978
American Indian Religious Freedom Act passed in the United States granting Native Americans the right to practice their religion, including the Sun Dance.

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